House of the Dragon

 

"What is this brief, mortal life if not the chase of legacy?" says someone on V/O as we open with an image of Rhaenyra Targaryen staring out at the ocean. I don't know the actor's voice, but it seems most likely that it's King Viserys speaking. Otto Hightower is flanked by Kingsguard and... Maesters? Where do Daemon Targaryen, Mysaria, and some gold cloaks face Daemon Targaryen, Mysaria, and some gold cloaks? I don't notice any chains around their necks, but those robes certainly appear to be those worn by Maesters, don't they?

Season 1 will depict the bitter struggle that occurred between Daemon and Viserys over a dragon egg that Daemon wished to gift Mysaria, based on the dragon egg in Daemon's palm.

Then we get the picture I've been waiting for since House of the Dragon was announced: a dragonrider flying over King's Landing as if nothing has happened. There's no mess, no fuss. For the Blood of Valyria, it's just another day. "Men would rather put the realm to the flame than watch a woman ascend the Iron Throne," Rhaenys tells little Rhaenyra.

It's a curious editing choice because it implies that Daemon opposes Rhaenyra's claim to the throne, which he doesn't. I don't want to give anything away, but obstructing Rhaenrya's bid for the throne is never one of Daemon Targaryen's worst acts. Anyway, based on the expression on young Rhaenyra's face, she appears to be more than capable of meeting the trials that lie ahead.

As four people, one of whom looks like Rhaenys, walk away, adult Rhaenyra stands before a map of Westeros made to mimic cooling magma. While I initially mistook the map for a House of the Dragon original, Liesandarbor and our own lukanieto pointed out that it's the same map on which Stannis and Melisandre, umm, created the Shadow Baby, but with different paint.

We hear a wonderful rendition of Ramin Djawadi's dragon theme sung by a choir at this point in the video.

Following that, we see a shot of what appears to be the Great Council of Harrenhal, a gathering where a succession dispute was resolved and legal precedents with plot implications were established. A large chest is brought forward, and I'm guessing it's full of dragon eggs for some reason. To the best of my knowledge, no attempt at hatching occurred during the Great Council, but when I saw this shot, my mind immediately went to dragon eggs. Perhaps it's because Harrenhal and dragon eggs have such a long history together.

Boom! The teaser finishes with a blazing Targaryen symbol and a cello playing the Game of Thrones theme's five instantly recognizable notes.